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Daily Report #4738



 
 
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Old November 17th 08, 03:12 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
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Default Daily Report #4738

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT****** #4738

PERIOD COVERED: 5am November 14 - 5am November 17, 2008 (DOY
*************************** 319/1000z-322/1000z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11942

Increasing the Accuracy of HST Astrometry with FGS1R

We propose to observe six exoplanetary system host stars and two
planetary nebulae central stars with FGS1r. All objects have been
previously observed under proposals GO-09233, -09969, -10989, and
-11210. These observations will significantly extend the time
baseline, permitting improvements in the determination of proper
motion. This systematic motion must be removed to get at the
perturbation of interest, either due to exoplanetary companions or the
orbital motion of the Earth (parallax). In most cases the perturbation
orbits will also improve. We improve either companion mass or PN
parallax. For one target, GJ 876, theoretical dynamical modelers have
proposed an inclination closer to 50 degrees, while FGS3 measurements
indicated an inclination closer to 84 degrees. These new data, once
combined with our older FGS3 data, will permit an independent
remeasurement of the inclination of the outermost companion, and a
re-evaluation of widely used dynamical algorithms.

FGS 11901/11212

Filling the Period Gap for Massive Binaries

The current census of binaries among the massive O-type stars is
seriously incomplete for systems in the period range from years to
millennia because the radial velocity variations are too small and the
angular separations too close for easy detection. Here we propose to
discover binaries in this observational gap through a Faint Guidance
Sensor SNAP survey of relatively bright targets listed in the Galactic
O Star Catalog. Our primary goal is to determine the binary frequency
among those in the cluster/association, field, and runaway groups. The
results will help us assess the role of binaries in massive star
formation and in the processes that lead to the ejection of massive
stars from their natal clusters. The program will also lead to the
identification of new, close binaries that will be targets of long
term spectroscopic and high angular resolution observations to
determine their masses and distances. The results will also be
important for the interpretation of the spectra of suspected and newly
identified binary and multiple systems.

WFPC2 11796

WFPC2 Cycle 16 Decontaminations and Associated Observations

This proposal is for the WFPC2 decons. Also included are instrument
monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus monitor,
pre- and post-decon internals (bias, intflats, kspots, & darks), UV
throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check.

WFPC2 11289

SL2S: The Strong Lensing Legacy Survey

Recent systematic surveys of strong galaxy-galaxy lenses {CLASS,
SLACS, GOODS, etc.} are producing spectacular results for galaxy
masses roughly below a transition mass M~10^13 Mo. The observed lens
properties and their evolution up to z~0.2, consistent with numerical
simulations, can be described by isothermal elliptical potentials. In
contrast, modeling of giant arcs in X-ray luminous clusters {halo
masses M ~10^13 Mo} favors NFW mass profiles, suggesting that dark
matter halos are not significantly affected by baryon cooling. Until
recently, lensing surveys were neither deep nor extended enough to
probe the intermediate mass density regime, which is fundamental for
understanding the assembly of structures. The CFHT Legacy Survey now
covers 125 square degrees, and thus offers a large reservoir of strong
lenses probing a large range of mass densities up to z~1. We have
extracted a list of 150 strong lenses using the most recent CFHTLS
data release via automated procedures. Following our first SNAPSHOT
proposal in cycle 15, we propose to continue the Hubble follow-up
targeting a larger list of 130 lensing candidates. These are
intermediate mass range candidates {between galaxies and clusters}
that are selected in the redshift range of 0.2-1 with no a priori
X-ray selection. The HST resolution is necessary for confirming the
lensing candidates, accurate modeling of the lenses, and probing the
total mass concentration in galaxy groups up to z~1 with the largest
unbiased sample available to date.

WFPC2 11218

Snapshot Survey for Planetary Nebulae in Globular Clusters of the
Local Group

Planetary nebulae {PNe} in globular clusters {GCs} raise a number of
interesting issues related to stellar and galactic evolution. The
number of PNe known in Milky Way GCs, 4, is surprisingly low if one
assumes that all stars pass through a PN stage. However, it is likely
that the remnants of stars now evolving in Galactic GCs leave the AGB
so slowly that any ejected nebula dissipates long before the star
becomes hot enough to ionize it. Thus there should not be ANY PNe in
Milky Way GCs--but there are four! It has been suggested that these
PNe are the result of mergers of binary stars within GCs, i.e., that
they are descendants of blue stragglers. The frequency of occurrence
of PNe in external galaxies poses more questions, because it shows a
range of almost an order of magnitude. I propose a Snapshot survey
aimed at discovering PNe in the GC systems of Local Group galaxies
more distant than the Magellanic Clouds. These clusters, some of which
may be much younger than their counterparts in the Milky Way, might
contain many more PNe than those of our own galaxy. I will use the
standard technique of emission-line and continuum imaging, which
easily discloses PNe.

WFPC2 11130

AGNs with Intermediate-mass Black Holes: Testing the Black Hole-Bulge
Paradigm, Part II

The recent progress in the study of central black holes in galactic
nuclei has led to a general consensus that supermassive {10^6-10^9
solar mass} black holes are closely connected with the formation and
evolutionary history of large galaxies, especially their bulge
component. Two outstanding issues, however, remain unresolved. Can
central black holes form in the absence of a bulge? And does the mass
function of central black holes extend below 10^6 solar masses?
Intermediate-mass black holes {10^6 solar masses}, if they exist, may
offer important clues to the nature of the seeds of supermassive black
holes. Using the SDSS, our group has successfully uncovered a new
population of AGNs with intermediate-mass black holes that reside in
low-luminosity galaxies. However, very little is known about the
detailed morphologies or structural parameters of the host galaxies
themselves, including the crucial question of whether they have bulges
or not. Surprisingly, the majority of the targets of our Cycle 14
pilot program have structural properties similar to dwarf elliptical
galaxies. The statistics from this initial study, however, are really
too sparse to reach definitive conclusions on this important new class
of black holes. We wish to extend this study to a larger sample, by
using the Snapshot mode to obtain WFPC2 F814W images from a parent
sample of 175 AGNs with intermediate- mass black holes selected from
our final SDSS search. We are particularly keen to determine whether
the hosts contain bulges, and if so, how the fundamental plane
properties of the host depend on the mass of their central black
holes. We will also investigate the environment of this unique class
of AGNs.

WFPC2 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and
Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body
populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of
this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper
Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The
statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising
and unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration of
binaries among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to
binaries among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal
mass binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries at
small separations. We propose to continue this successful program in
Cycle 16; we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems,
targeted to subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest
impact.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)

HSTARS:

11575 - GSAcq (2,1,2) failed to RGA Hold

At 322/09:23:07, GSAcq 2,1,2 scheduled from 322/09:19:34 - 09:26:56
failed to RGA Hold due to QF2STOPF and QSTOP flags on FGS-2.

Observations affected: WFPC Proposal #11113, observations 17-20

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

18359-0 - NCS Solenoid Valve commanding* @ 319/1854z
18360-1 - ESM 8501 FSW 7.0.1 Installation @ 319/2127z
18361-2 - TDRSS Orbital Elements Update @ 321/2123z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

*********************** SCHEDULED***** SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq************** 37****************** 36
FGS REacq************** 07****************** 07
OBAD with Maneuver **** 88****************** 88

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

Flash Report NCS Solenoid Valve Commanding:

At 319/18:54:15 UTC, Ops Request 18359 was successfully completed,
re-commanding the NCS Fill Valve (Solenoid Valve 4) to its open
state.

Flash Report ESM 8051 FSW 7.0.1 Installation:

At 319/21:26:45 UTC, Ops Request 18360 was successfully completed,
loading 8051 FSW version 7.0.1 into low EEPROM and RAM in MCU-A.

Flash Report TDRSS Orbital Elements Update:

Ops Request 18361 was successfully executed between 321/19:50 - 21:30
to uplink an updated set of TDRSS Orbital Elements to the the HST486
DataBase in response to Network Advisory Message 660.


 




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